Imphal:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Northeastern states will be the new engine to drive India towards development and the country's growth story will remain incomplete "till the east comes at par with the west."
Modi, addressing the inauguration function of the 105th edition of Indian Science Congress in Manipur University, laid stress on the development projects initiated in the region by the BJP-led government.
"The northeast can be the new engine of India's growth. To bring east at par with the west we declared 460 kms length of roads as national highways and seven out of the eight states are connected with rail networks and projects are underway to connect remaining state capitals to broad gauge network,” Modi said.
The prime minister also spoke on various topics, including science and technology, research, girls' education and women empowerment. He asserted that the BJP-led state government is doing tremendous work to reduce problems faced by the girls in hills and tribal areas for their education.
“I am happy that the state government is working to reduce the problems faced by girls in hills and tribals areas for their education,” Modi said.
He also called upon scientists to develop a module where students can interact with them. “I requests the scientists to give 100 hours per annum with 100 students of classes 9-12 to discuss science and technology,” he said.
Modi then exhorted the scientists to extend their research works from labs to the lands for the benefit of the people. He urged them from the Science Congress platform to help the government overcome problems like malnutrition and diseases, including malaria and Japanese encephalitis whioch are common in the region.
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The 105th edition is the second Science Congress in the northeastern region in the last 100 years.
Modi encouraged the scientists by saying that the country has a rich tradition and a long history of both discovery and usage of science in day to day life.
“The time has come to reclaim our rightful place among the front-line nations in the field,” he added.
